1. Field
Embodiments of the invention are broadly directed to systems and methods of alerting a user that they have or are about to carry sensitive cargo, such as a firearm, into a location with restricted carriage of such cargo. More specifically, embodiments of the invention sense the presence of a firearm within an article of luggage, compare the system's current location to a set of restricted carriage locations, and provide an alert when appropriate.
2. Related Art
Carriage of sensitive cargo, such as a firearm, into a location that restricts the carriage of such an object can have very serious consequences. Often, a firearm owner fails to realize that they are currently in possession of a firearm, perhaps because the article of luggage containing the firearm is, at times, also used to carry other non-sensitive cargo. For example, an owner may use a particular duffel bag for a business trip, forgetting that a firearm had been left inside from a previous trip to a gun range. Another common cause of violation of carriage restrictions is when an owner of a firearm is unaware that a particular location has such restrictions. For example, an owner accustomed to carrying a handgun at all times may not realize that a particular business owner bans possession of firearms within their store.
The penalty for such a mistake can vary widely from minor embarrassment to severe legal ramifications. What is needed is a system to present an alert of a current or impending violation of a restricted carriage location for an article of luggage containing sensitive cargo such as a firearm.